Women and food production in urban areas : a case study of urban food gardening in Johannesburg

Abstract

Food security is a challenge for many African urbanites. This study uses a qualitative approach and examines the experiences of women practising food gardening around the city of Johannesburg. Data was obtained through participant observation and semi structured interviews. This data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings revealed that although food gardening is less promoted, badly managed and ill equipped, it still reduces household food insecurity. From the collected data, conclusions can be drawn that the failure to maximise food gardening to mitigate food insecurities at a broader scale is due to gender disparities and inequalities. Some gardens were dominated by men and their attitudes towards women showed gender tensions and disunity. The findings of this study indicate that food security in urban areas can be optimised by acknowledging and involving women at all levels. Women also need to be equipped with better knowledge of what is needed to improve their household food security. As such, the study recommends that local governments need to be active on the ground to support all interventions taken by women to reduce food insecurity. To improve food gardening productivity, all stakeholders need to work together, and the government needs to actively promote urban food gardening to help its vulnerable citizens.

Boemo ba ho kgona ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng ka mokgwa o lefellehang habobebe ke bothata Maaforikeng a phelang ditoropong. Phuputso ena e sebedisitse datha eo e seng ya dipalo ho utlwisisa maikutlo a bafuputswa, ho hlahloba diketsahalo tseo basadi ba lemang le ho jala ditshingwana tsa dijo ho potoloha toropo ya Johannesburg ba bileng le tsona. Datha e fumanwe ka ho rekota maikutlo a bankakarolo le diinthaviu tsa dipotso tse hlokang ho arajwa ka tlhaloso e felletseng (e seng karabo ya e kapa tjhe feela) pele e ka hlophollwa ka tlhahlobo ya mokgwa wa ho hlopholla datha ya mofuta ona. Lesedi le fumanweng le bontshitse hore, le ha ho jala dijo ho sa tshehetswe le ho laolwa hampe, le hore batho ba jalang hangata ha ba be le disebediswa tse lekaneng, ketso ya ho jala e ntse e fokoletsa malapa bothata ba ho se kgone ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng. Ho tswa datheng e bokelletsweng, mofuputsi o qetelletse ka hore ho hloleha ho tshehetsa le ho atisa ho jalwa ha dijo, ho fokotsa bothata bo namelang dibakeng tse ngata ba ho se kgone ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng, ho ka bakwa ke mabaka a etsang hore banna le basadi ba se fumantshwe menyetla ka ho lekana le ho se tshwarwe ka ho tshwana. Ditshingwana tse ding e ne e le tsa banna haholo, mme maikutlo a bona bathong ba basadi a ne a bontsha ho se utlwane ha banna le basadi. Lesedi le fumanweng le bontshitse le hore boemo ba ho kgona ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng ka mokgwa o lefellehang habobebe dibakeng tsa ditoropong bo ka matlafatswa le ho kenya basadi maemong aofela. Basadi ba hloka ho fumantshwa tsebo e batsi ya se hlokehang ho ntlafatsa boemo ba malapa a bona a ho kgona ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng ka mokgwa o lefellehang habobebe. Ho itshetlehilwe leseding le fumanweng, mofuputsi o kgothalleditse hore mebuso ya lehae e sebetse haholo le batho ba amehang ho tshehetsa dintho tseo basadi ba di etsang ho thusa ho fokotsa boemo ba malapa a bona ba ho se kgone ho fumana dijo tsa phepo e loketseng. Ho ntlafatsa tlhahiso ya tshingwana ya dijo, bathahaselli kaofela ba hloka ho sebetsa mmoho, ha mmuso o hloka ho tshehetsa le ho ntshetsa pele ho etswa ha ditshingwana tsa dijo metseng ya ditoropong ho thusa baahi ba hlokang tshehetso.

Ukuvikeleka kokudla kuyinselele kubantu abaningi basemadolobheni ase-Afrika. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise indlela esezingeni lokuhlola ulwazi lwabesifazane abalima izingadi zokudla edolobheni laseGoli. Idatha itholwe ngokubhekwa kwabahlanganyeli kanye nezingxoxo ezihlelwe kancane, ngaphambi kokuba zihlaziywe ngokuhlaziywa kokuqukethwe kwendikimba. Okutholakele kuveze ukuthi, nakuba ukulima ingadi yokudla kungakhuthazwa futhi kungaphethwe kabi, kanti nabalimi bavamise ukungakuhlomeli kahle, lo mkhuba usanciphisa ukuntuleka nokungavikeleki kokudla emakhaya. Kusukela kudatha eqoqiwe, umcwaningi waphetha ngokuthi ukwehluleka ukukhulisa izingadi zokudla, ukunciphisa ukungavikeleki kokudla ngezinga elibanzi, kungabangelwa ukungafani kobulili nokungalingani. Ezinye izingadi zazigcwele abesilisa, futhi indlela ababebheka ngayo abantu besifazane yayibonisa ukungezwani kobulili kanye nokungezwani. Okutholakele kuphinde kwaveza ukuthi ukutholakala kokudla ezindaweni zasemadolobheni kungathuthukiswa ngokuvuma nokubandakanya abesifazane kuwo wonke amazinga. Abesifazane badinga ukuhlonyiswa ngolwazi olungcono lwalokho okudingekayo ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukutholakala kokudla emakhaya abo. Ngokusekelwe kulokho okutholiwe, umcwaningi uncome ukuthi ohulumeni basemakhaya basebenze kakhulu phansi, ekusekeleni ukungenelela okuthathwa ngabesifazane ukunciphisa ukungavikeleki kokudla. Ukwenza ngcono izinga lokukhiqiza ukudla bonke ababambiqhaza kudingeka basebenzisane, kuyilapho uhulumeni edinga ukugqugquzela ukulinywa kwezingadi zokudla emadolobheni ukusiza izakhamuzi ezisengozini.